The week ahead for the Myrtle Beach area

Carson, Fiorina making it to the Strand this week

Republican presidential contender Carly Fiorina will participate in a town hall meeting at 5 p.m. Monday at the Applewood House of Pancakes in Pawleys Island.

Fiorina, the former CEO of Hewlett Packard, will outline her vision for America and take questions from the audience, said Reese Boyd, Horry County GOP state executive committeeman in a statement.

Republican presidential contender Dr. Ben Carson will be campaigning from 10-11:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Ace Hardware store located in Boulineau’s of Cherry Grove Beach.

The event is open to the public and is sponsored by the North Myrtle Beach Republican Club.

Beach Ball Classic tips off Saturday

The Beach Ball Classic - one of the premier high school boys basketball tournaments nationally - tips off Saturday at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.

The tournament - which features big-time recruits and has in the past showcased players who later went on to NBA careers - begins at 1:30 p.m. Saturday and concludes with the championship game at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 31.

The dunk and 3-point contests will be contested 7 p.m. Sunday.

Washington, Kelly and Morris to square off in Tuesday election

A special election is scheduled for Horry County Council’s District 3 seat.

Bob Kelly, a Carolina Forest Republican, and Jimmy Washington, a Myrtle Beach Democrat, will square off in Tuesday’s general election. They’ll also face a challenge from write-in candidate Jason Morris, who has spent the last few weeks knocking on doors and asking for votes.

The polls in District 3 will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Christmas holiday celebrated Friday

The Christmas holiday marking the birth of Jesus Christ is Friday.

Federal, state and local government offices, including the post office, will be closed Friday in observance of the holiday.

Holidays mark free admission to state parks

Both local state parks are open every day of the year – also with free park admission statewide this Thursday and Friday, to close S.C. State Parks’ “12 Days of Deals.”

The Myrtle Beach State Park, on U.S. 17 Business, one mile south of Farrow Parkway/South Ocean Boulevard, across from Seagate Village has winter hours 6 a.m.-8 p.m. through February with free admission Thursday and Friday. For more information, call 843-238-5325 or log on to www.myrtlebeachsp.com.

Huntington Beach State Park, on U.S. 17, between Murrells Inlet and Litchfield Beach, across from Brookgreen Gardens, has winter hours from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. through March 1. It, too, is free to the public this Thursday and Friday. For more information, call 843-237-4440 or log on to www.huntingtonbeachsp.com.

Schools out for winter break

Horry and Georgetown County schools students are on winter break until January. Horry County Schools classes resume Jan. 5 – with a teacher workday on Jan. 4 – and Georgetown County students resume classes on Jan. 4.

This story was originally published December 20, 2015 at 7:00 AM with the headline "The week ahead for the Myrtle Beach area."